London’s Olympic History

London has a rich sporting and Olympic history. The 2012 Olympic Games will mark the third time this international event has been held in London.

History of the Olympic Games in London

The London 2012 Olympic Games (the games of the XXX Olympiad) will mark the third time London has hosted the Modern Olympics.

London hosted the Olympic Games previously in 1908 and 1948. The upcoming games will make London the only city in the world to have hosted the Games three times.

Olympic Games: London 1908

In 1908, the Olympic Games were originally due to be held in Rome. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906 meant Italy had to pull out, and London stepped into the breach.

Olympic Games: London 1948
London was chosen to host the 1944 Games, which were postponed because of the Second World War and became the 1948 Olympics. The 1948 Games are notable for the fact they were the first to be broadcast on home television.

Building a Legacy for London’s Sporting Future

Since London won its bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics in 2005, a flurry of planning and building activity has occurred.

Most of this is centred on the East London site at Stratford that has become Olympic Park – where the bulk of Olympic sporting events will be held – and the Olympic Village, where athletes and officials will live for the duration of the Games.

The Olympic Park will boast a range of new, purpose-built sporting venues, many of which will remain for use by the community long after the Games have finished.

Famous Names: Wimbledon, Wembley and Lord’s

London has a proud sporting history and is renowned for its world-class stadiums, many of which will be used for the 2012 Olympics.

Olympic Tennis will be played at Wimbledon, Football will happen at the newly renovated Wembley Stadium (and other stadia around the UK), and Olympic Archery will be held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

In addition, a range of historic locations and buildings will be modified for various sporting events. For example, Horse Guards Parade area near Trafalgar Square will import a load of sand and be turned into a Central London “beach” for the Olympic Beach Volleyball.

It’s just the sort of irreverent yet delightful twist you’d expect from an Olympic Games in London, and is an exciting hint of what’s in store during the 2012 Games!